Fire-extinguishing apparatus.



G. T. GILLETTE.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED OCT. I6. lll 1,277,908. Parentedsept. 3,1918.

zag. 1.

I use of said material.

ED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

GEoEGE T. GILLETTE, 0E Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

' Patented sept. 3, 191s.

Original application iled March 20, 1916, Serial No. 85,519. Divided and this application filed October 16, 1916. Serial No. 126,018.

State of California, have invented a new and Y useful Fire Extinguishing. Apparatus, of

which the following is a specification.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 85519, led Mar. 20, 1916, for method of and means for extinguishing lires, in which I have claimed a method of extinguishing fires by projecting onto the burning material a stream of the material known as diatomaceous earth or kieselguhr.

An object of this invention is to `provide practical means for putting out a lire by the Said diatomaceous earth is non-combustible and non-fusible at the ordinary temperatures of incipient conflagrations, and in fact, is only subject to fusion at al temperature of about 2900O Fahrenheit, and consists of minute silica air cells that are very light so that large bodies of the same are movable by application of comparatively-small power.

It is well-known at diatomaceous earth' plants that such earth will adhere in considerable quantities to the `surfaces of ceilings, walls, pillars and posts of the buildings in which such earth is ground for commercial purposes.

- I have discovered that diatomaceous earth when projected onto a burning object by the power of an air current will adhere to such object, thus excluding oxygen and reducing y the temperature so that combustion is immediately stopped.

Diatomaceous earth as is well known is of very low specific gravity and an object of this invention is to make the use of such earth practical on both large and small the invention is to make prowhereby sufficient quantities of ,I such earth may be kept conveniently at hand ready for use as required.

It is understood that the material which may be used forv this purpose is variously `known as diatomaceous earth, infusorial earth, kieselguhr, tripoli,etc. The same occurs in nature in various parts of the world and the materia-l which I have put to this use is found in large deposits in California. In its natural state the diatomaceous earth is moist, and after bein taken from the natural deposits, it is usua ly dried and ground to a line dust or flour.

It is preferable in carrying out this method of fire extinguishment not to handle this material asa fine flour, because is bulky and will blow away in the open air.

This invention includes means for disintegrating or pulverizing briquets formed of this dust 0r flour and immediately projecting the powder onto the lire.- By this means itis made possible to practically fight fires with the diatomaceous earth for the reason that it is thus made possible to supply the necessary bulk of diatomaceous flour for the purposein hand. y

The briqueting of the diatomaceous earth may be eifected by any suitable well known briqueting machines now in use.

Illustration .of such av machine is not deemed necessary.

The diatomaceous earth may be used when brought from the natural state to ypowdered form by any means either with or without intermediate briqueting. j

v The accompanyin drawings illustrate two forms of means which the diatomaceous earth may `be disintegrated or pow` dered and applied to the extinguishing of fires. A partial charge of briqueted diatomaceous earth is shown.

Figure 1 is an external view of hand apparatus illustrating one mode of operation particularly designed for extinguishing incipient lires, the same being intended to take the place of the usual hand-operated portable chemical re extinguishers.

Fig. 2 is a broken axial section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. l

Fig. 3 is a fragmental section viewed from the nozzle.

linesh", Fig. 4, showing apparatus designed for extlnguishing Jires on a larger scale. This form is adapted to take the place of re engines of the present ty-pe.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on line v4-:114,Fig. 3, omitting the hopper construction.

In Figs. 2 and 3 only a portion of the briquet charges are shown and it is lto be understood thatin-F ig. 2.the diatomaceous earth vchamber is lilled with briquets or pellets of compressed diatomaceous earth.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the container comprises a virtually horizontal -barrel or shell 1 having a nozzle connected to one end for the purpose of allowing the contents of the barrel to be expelled through Power is applied by'soni'e suitable means to move a head 2 along the barrel advancing the diatomaceous earth for this purpose, and with this object in view, air pressure'is supplied .to a chamber 3 behind thehead 2. The means .shown for supplying such air pressure is a valved pipe 4 leading from the air com ressor 5 'which is shown as an ordinary automobile air pump. A latch 6 is shown mounted on the shell 1, said latch being operated by a handle 7 and normally held in latching position by a spring 8.

In its natural state the diatomaceous earth is moist and in order to reduce the same to the preferred condition for putting this in- Vention into practice it is drled and ground to an impalpable dust. A

In putting this invention into practice the powdered diatomaceous earth is preferably briqueted compressed into a more compact form than when in its powdered state.

The briquets may be of any approveddimensions as from a the size of a' pea to that of awalnut or larger, andthe briquets may be of an? ape etc. These briquets are designed to bestored awaiting occasion for use on lires, and when the re occurs they are pulverized and the earthdust thus obtained is projected onto the lire. The operation of projecting the powdered material on the fire may be variouslylconducted, and various means may be employed for this purpose.

The consolidated diatomaceous earth may be protected from moisture by some suitable Water-proof'coating. Awater-proof coating of substance such as casein may serve the purpose.A

The nozzle in Figs. 1 and 2 isshown as comprising a main-body 9 'screwed onto the barrel 1 and provided let 10 which is connected means as the hose 11 with a nozzle piece 12 that is preferablyv providedA with a' spiral arrangement whichmay be in the form of a spiral delector as indicated at 13.l

^ A grinding device, shown as comprising' 'ally horizontal axis and to a desired size, being thereby the drum, the

propriately arranged perforations 29; -The -Y teeth 28, 28

with an annular out. by anyv suitablel revolubly mounted in compressed air upon the vblades of the fan or propeller 16. This means is shown as consisting ofa pipe 18 having outlets 19 opening behind a delector 20 around which is an annular passage-way 21 in which the teeth14 Xed to the fan, revolve on a virtuduring their rotacylindrical outline. by a tube 22 with a tion describe a virtually The pipe 18 is connected valved air pipe 23 that is air compressor 5.

en the air pressure is turned on through the connections 22, 23 the propeller rotates, thus driving the grinding apparatus to pulverize the diatomaceous material that passes through the passage 21 and to deliver the same throug in a nely divided state; the dust being carried along through the nozzle 12 and ejected iIli a line stream upon the substance that is a re.

The chamber maybe charged with diatomaceous material by simply unscrewing the chambenl .from its base 1 and detaching the connection 22 and removing the oating plunger or piston head 2, then inserting the harge and then replacing the parts as beore.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the briquet material 15 is connected with the the annular outlet 10 of larger dimensions and is contained in the ios- Vstance and during their rotation also describe a virtually cylindrical outline. Said hopper floor a is provided withapertures b through which the briquets may drop onto periphery of which has 'apgrind the diatoneaceous material 15 into an impalpa'ble dust that passes on through the perforations 29 and into the Y interior of the drum, said drum opening through-end ports 3l into the surrounding chamber 30 formed bythe outer impervious case 30. The case 30 opens through lports 32 into a. conductor 33 that is. connected by any suitable means with a hose 34 that is supplied with 'a nozzle structed to discharge the dust. The drum is thev chamber 30, the drum hubs 38 and 39 being adapted to freely turn. upon the shaft 37 that is supported in 35 appropriately cona virtually horizontal position in the case bearings l0, l1, and blower means in the form of a fan 3G is fixed to the shaft at the discharge end of the drum, said fan being operated byl power through any suitable means as the pulley 42. T he drum 27 has an internal gear 43 that is driven by speed-reducing gearing 4l, 45 so that the exhaust fan 36 will be driven at a much higher speed than the drum, although simultaneously therewith, tol carry the earth dust out and eject the same through the nozzle 35.

It is understood that various kinds of air may be used including non-combustible gases, Ibut it is practicable to use a stream of compressed atmospheric air for this purpose as the dust may be supplied to such stream in such quantities as to smother the re. A phenomenon of the operation is that any draft that the fire makes tends to carry the dust to the fire and by making the cloud or stream of dust sufficiently great to load the air and adhere to the burning surfaces, the fire is smothered.

The rotation of the grinding means on a virtually horizontal axis, and the virtually cylindrical outline described by the Grinding means during its rotation, materially aid in triturating the diatomaceous earth evenly and thoroughly, and the efficiency of the fireextinguishing apparatus is greatly'increased thereby, as the even comminution facilitates an even distribution of the minute particles of earth before, they reach the fire.

I claim:-

1. 1n a device of the character described, a container for diatomaceous earth, in combination with means rotatable on a virtually horizontal axis and adapted to describe a virtually cylindrical outline during its rotation to pulverize the earth and air blast means rotatable on said axis to discharge the product in powdered form.

2. A device of the character described comprising a container for diatomaceous earth, grinding means rotatable on a Virtually horizontal axis and adapted to describe a virtually cylindrical outline during its rotation to pulverize the diatomaceous earth, and air blast means rotatable on said axis to discharge the pulverized material.

3. A device of the character described comprising in combination a container for diatomaceous earth, grinding means rotatable on a virtually horlzontal axis and adapted to describe a virtually cylindrical outline during its rotation to pulverize the diatomaceous earth', and means rotatable on said axis for supplying an air current to discharge the pulverized material.

4l, A device of the class described comprising a hopper for containing diatomaceous earth, grinding means rotatably mounted on a virtually horizontal axis and adapted to describe a virtually cylindrical outline during its rotation and located below said hopper to pulverize the diatomaceous earth, a discharge nozzle, and blower means operatively connected with said grinding means and being rotatable on said axis to expel the pulverized material through said nozzle.

5. A device of the class described comprising a hopper for containing diatomaceous earth, grinding means rotatable on a virtually horizontal axis and adapted to describe a virtually cylindrical outline during its rotation to pulverize the diatomaceous earth, a

discharge nozzle, and blower means operatively connected with said grinding means and being rotatable on said axis to expel the pulverized material'through said nozzle.

G. A device of the class described comprising a hopper for containing diatomaceous earth, a case below said hopper and having a chamber therein, grinding means rotatably mounted on a virtually horizontal axis and adapted to describe a` virtually cylindrical outline during its rotation in said chamber to pulverize the diatomaceous earth, a nozzle in communication with said chamber, and a blower operatively connected with the grinding means and being rotatable on said axis to expel. the pulverized material from said chamber and through the nozzle.

7 A device of the class described Comprising a hopper for containing diatomaceous earth, a case below said hopper and provided with a discharge opening, a cylindrical grinding drum mounted on a virtually horizontal axis in said case to pulverize the diatomaceous earth, a fan rotatable on said axis `in said case at the discharge opening thereof to expel the pulverized material, and means to turn the drum and the fan simultaneously.

8. A device of the class described comprising a hopper for* containing diatomaceous earth, a case below said hopper and provided with a discharge opening, a cylindrical grindingdrum mounted on a virtually horizontal axis in said case to pulverize the diatomaceous earth, a fan rotatable on said axis in lsaid case at the discharge opening thereto with said shaft to turn the drum to pulverize' the diatomaceous earth, and a fan fixedito said shaft and positioned at the discharge opening to expel the pulverized material.

10. A device of the class described comprising a hopper for containing diatomaceousV earth, a case below said hopper and provided with a discharge op ening, 'a lshaft supported vin a virtually horlzontal position in sald case, a cylindrical mounted on said shaft and a lower speed than said shaft grinding drmn apted to freely turn thereon, gear means vconnecting the drum with said shaft to turn the drum at a, to pulverize the shaft and positioned atfthe Idischar ing to'eXpel the pulverized materia In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset' my hand at Los Angees, California, this 9th day of October, 1916.

' GEORGE T. GILLETTE. Witness: f

'JAMES R. TQWNSEND.

e open- 

